LOL!
Posted on 07/17/2013 8:16:57 AM PDT by DFG
A fascinating collection of illustrations shows how America keenly observed Britain and Germany as the countries prepared for the first world war - long before the United States was drawn into battle.
In 1913, before WWI even began, military scientists watched from across the Atlantic as the rival nations raced to build more efficient and effective weapons in a bid to control sea, sky and land.
The images, published originally by the magazine Scientific American in 1913 and again on its website this week, mostly depict these weapons, though some of the drawings show mistaken assumptions about how a war would be fought.
Civilians and military planners were consumed by the idea that enemy airplanes would suddenly appear out of nowhere to rain deadly bombs on towns and cities of the allied nations.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The U.S. was also concerned about the growing strength of the Japanese Navy (built mostly by the British), which had annihilated the Russian Navy and won the Russo-Japanese War of 1905.
Interesting. Thanks.
Every major country built dreadnought battleships as a sign of national power. By 1918 there were scores of them, all built at tremendous cost. Despite this, there was only one “fleet engagement” between the Royal Navy and High Seas Fleet for a few hours at Jutland in 1916.
Only one dreadnought from that era remains: the USS Texas. All the others were scrapped, or rest at the bottom of the sea.
-——the USS Texas——
Been there. It is docked in the Houston ship channel. In spite of being a dreadnaught, it is really not that big and internal spaces quite cramped. Neverthe less it is well worth a visit. It is painted Navy Blue, not Navy gray
More importantly, Within sight is the San Jacinto battle field. That is the field where Texans under Sam Houston slaughtered the Mexican army in about 18 minutes. They changed the world in that battle on that day. Texas became Texas
Their ad hoc coming together should be our model fo going forward.
Deck gun: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/17/article-2366435-1AD8323B000005DC-187_634x634.jpg
Makes my back ache just looking at.
I think they are using the term “Dreadnought” wrong. The WWI battleships were of the next generation.
Mines have some military use but their main effect over the years has been on civilian populations Left wing spin
torpedoes were occasionally used to deadly effect by surface warships but they were most harmful when used against merchant shipping and civilian seagoing vessels Tell that to the crews of the HMS Cressey, the HMS Aboukir and the HMS Hogue.
Or the Bismark.
Would have been a good time to develop our own main battle rifles - and in sufficient quantities....
Nice article.
Wait... where’s he putting that shell?
Those old battleships were good platforms for bombarding the enemy shore prior to invasion.
LOL!
Occssionally one encouters a rogue sheepdog on Free Republic. Fortunately I have not seen one lately.
If the British had lost Jutland, there would have been many fleet actions, to include the bombardment of London.In
In response to the dreadnought, the “Jeune Ecole” or new school developed the torpedo boat. Admiral Fisher’s response to that was the torpedo boat destroyer, to defend large slow firing dreadnoughts from small fast boats with torpedoes. Destroyers fielded smaller quick firing guns.
Dreadnoughts were also used in an attempt to put Constantinople under their guns, but were turned back by mines and shore defenses. That failure led to the landings of Gallipoli and Suvla.
Olympia, a protected Cruiser is even earlier, but served at the same time as Texas, as well as serving as Admiral Dewey’s flagship at Manila. It is docked in Philadelphia, and is under severe risk as maintenance has been underfunded for a long time.
George Dewey was the only “6 star” Admiral of the US Navy, but was a Commodore at the time of the battle of Manila.
I’ve been on the Olympia; Dewey’s footprints are marked on the flying bridge where he gave the order “You may fire when ready, Gridley.”
I’ve also been on the Texas, but I was very young then. I don’t remember that much about her. Other musuem ships I’ve visited:
USS North Carolina
USS Alabama
USS Lexington
USS Intrepid
USS Silversides
U-505
A vacation isn’t a vacation without a trip to a museum ship. A pity there aren’t more of them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.